Pictosoft’s first person aerial shooter, Medal of Gunner (MOG) doesn’t put you in the pilot’s seat—but that’s okay, because these are B-17s, not F-16s. Would you rather pilot or blow up bad guys? Pretty easy choice, if you ask me.

It’s the Second World War and the sky has become the new front line. As a no-striper, you’ve got to prove yourself, and the best place to do it is from the gun turrets of the famed B-17 Air Fortress. These fully loaded bombers fly in formation, relying on their on-board gun turrets to protect them from enemy aircraft. In Medal of Gunner (MOG), the player moves from turret to turret in response to enemy fighters, setting them firmly between their sights so they can destroy them. Each level represents a promotion, with six stages each defined by a medal. Stages are missions introduced by a briefing which lets you know how many bad guys you’ll have to blow up to succeed.

The controls system is designed both for maximum efficiency on a touch screen and to provide you with some WWII ambience. The head’s up display shows the position of the gun, which you adjust via tilt control in response to enemy aircraft sightings. These are conveyed in o’clocks high or low, just as they traditionally were during the war. To the left, an icon displays the turret position the player currently holds, and tapping it brings up an interactive map for switching positions. To the right on the main screen, you’ll see how much ammo you’ve got left (you’ll have to switch to another turret when you run dry) and a tab button to tap when the gun gets jammed.

Medal of Gunner (MOG) bills itself as a flight sim, but it’s not that precisely, because you aren’t piloting. However, if you’re a fan of flight sims, you’ll appreciate this fusion of airborne power and FPS point of view. And if you’re a World War II buff, you’ll totally dig all of the extra details the designers threw in to make the experience an authentic one.

No gunner of that era would go airborne without a lucky charm, or a cheesecake glamour shot of a 40’s pin-up girl. For morale, you know. These trinkets actually improve your stats in Medal of Gunner (MOG), so they’re more than just sexy eye candy and superstition. Nicest detail thrown in? You can’t exactly pause in protecting your comrades to savor the sight of the enemy going down in flames when you’re manning the guns, but Medal of Gunner gives you an advantage you wouldn’t have had in real life: an awesome inset vid of your successes as they go down.

Smooth 3D animation complete with great detail and realistic texture makes the most of the airborne environment, and the audio backdrop of radio chatter laced with static, roaring engines, and the patter of gunfire bring it all together for a great gameplay experience.